Our Community is 940,000 Strong. Join Us.


Could ABS Brake System cause noise sliding on snow?


GuyWithCavalier
12-27-2011, 11:17 PM
Since it just snowed and no salt or plow, and snow was fluffy and about 2 or 3 inches on the road, I thought I would get the wife to test the brakes with the new (used) snow tires.

When she hit the brakes and turned this way and that,
at about 10 - 20 mph, we got the tires to lock intermittently and slide a bit.

I was thinking hmmm.. even snow tires aren't that great with turns...but then I hear a sound I've never heard before, like a clacking or rattling, maybe even like a pencil-sharpener, as the car is sliding.

The sound seemed to come from the front firewall right at the master-cylinder, and only happened when the car front tires started sliding.

I was wondering if such a surprisingly noisey effect was a result of the ABS brake system not being able to unlock the wheel(s) on snow during the slide.

Does anyone have any experience with ABS brakes and noises,
that might correspond to what I was hearing?

Or could there be something else wrong?

Tech II
12-28-2011, 01:53 PM
:biggrin:

That's normal ABS sound....when the ABS is activated due to a wheel slipping, the solenoid(s) rapidly click as they hold and release the fluid to the wheel or wheels that are slipping, similar to someone pumping the brakes, but at a much faster rate......

GuyWithCavalier
12-29-2011, 07:10 AM
:biggrin:

That's normal ABS sound....when the ABS is activated due to a wheel slipping, the solenoid(s) rapidly click as they hold and release the fluid to the wheel or wheels that are slipping, similar to someone pumping the brakes, but at a much faster rate......

I take it that this could prematurely wear out the solenoids if it went on too much?

If the solenoids failed, would the brakes still work?

gmtech1
12-29-2011, 08:00 PM
Will not "wear out" solenoids. That is what they're made for. Have never heard of or seen these solenoids wear out. As Tech II stated, this in a normal condition

GuyWithCavalier
01-01-2012, 12:00 AM
Will not "wear out" solenoids. That is what they're made for. Have never heard of or seen these solenoids wear out. As Tech II stated, this in a normal condition

Okay thats good to know.
I youtube video I looked at indicated that most commonly,
the electronic control module wore out, not the solenoids themselves,
so this seems to relate to that. cheap transistors are still
less reliable than plumbing, I guess.

e40water12
02-20-2012, 03:47 PM
Sounds common like my 01 cavalier.

Add your comment to this topic!